


They are Here

by BlueRoseDream



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Some hurt/comfort, pen pal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-05 20:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20279281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueRoseDream/pseuds/BlueRoseDream
Summary: As a gift for Nagi's birthday, Haruki gives him an ornate storage box that seemed to contain letters from someone else. Out of curiosity, Nagi decides to respond to these letters--sparking an interesting friendship between him and the person on the other side of the letters.





	They are Here

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello~ Here is my entry for this year's IDOLiSH7 flash bang! My artist partner for this fic is [@cobaltcandi](https://twitter.com/cobaltcandi)! Please take a look at their wonderful art [here](https://twitter.com/cobaltcandi/status/1163499462691414016) as well as the rest of the work they've done. I had a lot of fun discussing bits and pieces of this fic with them. This is based off of a short story (and apparently a movie?) that I don't remember the name of unfortunately, so if anyone has a guess as to what it might be then please let me know. Other than that, I hope you enjoy the story~

_ I wonder when it all started. _ _   
This habit I could never seem to break out of. _

He remembered Haruki smiling kindly that day when he presented him with an ornate box for his sixteenth birthday. On the surface, it appeared to be a simple storage container of some kind, so he kept the compositions Haruki had given them inside. Little did he realize that he would be met with a pleasant surprise upon opening it back up.

The next day, there was a letter with no name or address written on it that read, [This song is beautiful. Did you write it?]

He was puzzled at first, wondering if someone had snuck into his room and left it there for him, but not a single thing was out of place. Even the music sheets had remained safe within the box—with the only difference being the letter from the mysterious stranger.  _ An unusual occurrence _ , he thought, yet for some reason, he didn’t find it in any way unwelcome.

Feeling a little curious, he wrote back to the sender. Nothing formal or anything—just the words, [A dear friend of mine wrote it. Do you enjoy music too?]

After replacing the letter that was sent with his own, he continued to go about his day with a rush of giddiness bubbling up inside him. Haruki had commented on it after their piano lesson together while Nagi simply chuckled in response. Although he wasn’t sure what would come about from this unusual experience, he looked forward to the possibility of making a new friend.

And without fail, he received another message in the box the following morning. It read, [Your friend is an amazing composer and I love his music. I enjoy all kinds of music as well.]

The message was as short as it was before—leaving no way of knowing anything more about the sender.

It was likely done as a precaution since they didn’t know each other personally, so it wasn’t too unexpected that the letters would remain as brief as possible. However, Nagi trusted Haruki and believed that he wouldn’t intentionally try to give him anything dangerous, so he decided to take the first step in breaking down the invisible wall between them. [If you don’t mind me asking, what is your name? My name is Nagi. It’s nice to meet you.]

One day, then two, pass before he receives a response. He did wonder why it took them longer to respond this time around, but that curiosity quickly changed to excitement as he read the stranger’s letter to him. [My name is Sougo Osaka. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nagi-san.]

_ Nagi-san _ . He remembered how Haruki had referred to him in a similar manner by accident back when they first met.  _ Could it be that this “Sougo” was from Japan too?  _ It certainly wasn’t impossible. Feeling even more curious than before, he made a mental note to ask Haruki about it after he finished his lessons for the day. And in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder about what kind of person this “Sougo” really was.

“Osaka Sougo? Hmm…That does sound like a very Japanese name. Why do you ask?”

Although Nagi did want to tell Haruki about his discovery, a part of him wanted to leave it as a secret between him and Sougo as well. His conflicted thoughts must’ve shown clearly on his face based on how Haruki laughed lightly while gently ruffling his hair. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m just glad to see you so cheerful these past few days.”

Nagi nodded happily as he channeled that same energy into his piano playing. And while he couldn’t quite label their current relationship as friends yet, he still truly believed that something good would come out of all this. It was a childlike thought that wouldn’t have crossed his mind in the past, but little by little, he could feel himself changing.

And slowly but surely, his heart would begin to grow more and more.

* * *

Over time, the letters between them had continued to grow—allowing Nagi to realize how alike the two of them were aside from a few minor differences.

Apparently, Sougo was a boy a year older than him that knew more about music than he had ever read in a textbook.

He had a strange love of scarves and large hats, didn’t watch anime (a fact he found himself horrified by), and was able to attend school like an average teenager.

However, despite having the freedom to go to school, he was still monitored at every moment because of his family’s reputation. And while he wasn’t a prince like Nagi was, he still found himself trapped within the same birdcage known as his family name.

Nagi knew better than anyone how it felt to be isolated from everyone else, but fortunately for them, they each had someone to take them out of their cage for just a few moments. It was a small, fleeting thing that only lasted a short while each day, but it was enough to make them smile and see how the world was much bigger than they could’ve ever imagined.  _ But for Sougo, that time didn’t last. _

At some point during the time they spent writing, Sougo had suddenly stopped altogether for a few months. Nagi wasn’t sure as to why he had done that and felt rather betrayed by the act, yet his pen never stopped moving as he continued to share little things about his day.  _ Now that I think about it, maybe I just wanted to hear from him again regardless of how long it took.  _ And as if to reward him for his efforts, Sougo eventually wrote back to him with a simple note that read [Thank you].

Nagi smiled as he read over those two words again and again before giving his reply. [I’m glad that you wrote back to me.]  _ And I’m glad to know that you’re okay. _

It had taken time for them to return to their usual pattern, but once they had, Sougo decided to tell him about his uncle as an individual. How his music would make everyone in the audience smile and how he had a way of inspiring others to chase after their own sound. Every detail he added painted a clear image in Nagi’s mind despite not knowing how he looked like. Because in the end, the important thing was that he remained alive in their memories so that he would never be truly forgotten.

And soon enough, another year has gone by with the letters piling up so high that they needed a new box to hold them in.

Sougo was now a university student studying law while Nagi was still preparing for the (un)likely possibility of him taking the throne. Of course, like their unchanging futures, the two of them continued to be close friends with an unbreakable bond between them. A bond created by a multitude of little notes—strengthened by their wish to make the receiver’s life appear just a little bit brighter.

Those letters meant everything to them as they faced yet another trial in their own personal journeys. For Nagi, he soon realized that his first friend was beginning to slip through his fingers. While for Sougo, he noticed that it was only a matter of time before his dream would be extinguished for good.

As a result, they began to lie in an attempt to make their own words a reality.

During the short time spent with the band he was in, Sougo would send Nagi a brief recording of their practices. Nagi, in turn, took that as a sign that things were changing and that Sougo had finally found the key to set himself free. Yet not once did Sougo tell him about his father’s intention to have him quit music. Not once did he tell him that he was already going against his wishes by doing this in the first place.

[I don’t want to burden you with my problems again], he would write before blotting the words and throwing the note in the trash. 

As for Nagi, he would pretend not to see the signs and treat Haruki’s sugar coated reassurances as truth to protect himself. Haruki was the reason why he had opened up his heart after all. He couldn’t stand the thought of it closing the moment the world decides to steal everything away.  _ Selfish _ . He was selfish for wanting him to stay. But more than anything else, he wanted Haruki to get better and stay by his side.

Yet not a single word of this would be written for Sougo to read. Because in his heart, he wanted Sougo to see his words as a source of strength.

Unfortunately for them, the world wasn’t so kind as to let them off for their little white lies.

_ Will you grant me my wish to find the right person to perform my music? _

Nagi found himself wondering why Haruki had chosen to stay despite wishing for it himself. Unsure of what to do, he didn’t respond to his request right then and there. Instead, he gathered all of Sougo’s letters in hope of finding an answer. And in them, he found the courage he needed to convey the feelings he wished to leave him with.

And on the other side of the globe, Sougo could feel that same surge of courage from Nagi’s own letters as he let his father know of his intention to become a musician at all costs.

In an instant, their unchanging futures became uncertain ones as they walked towards a new goal that would change their lives forever.

With their bundle of letters in hand, they would push through every obstacle in their path until they were one step closer to their goal.

Little did they realize that their paths would soon intertwine and lead to the birth of something that never crossed their minds.

But that’s a letter for another day.


End file.
